Bo Diddley's trademark guitar sound and big, battering beats inspired generations of musicians, from the young Rolling Stones to the Clash and more. So what better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his 1955 debut, the double A-sided, chart-topping R&B hit "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man," than with a celebratory show featuring some of his most loyal acolytes? For the occasion, Diddley created a super-sized super group, boasting a rhythm section to kill for -- drummers Kenny Jones, Mick Fleetwood, Carmine Appice, and Mitch Mitchell, with Moody Blue John Lodge and metal supremo Rudy Sarzo on bass. John Mayall was one of a pair of keyboardists, Ron Wood and Carl Wilson backed Bo on guitar, with Chuck Berry joining in for a trio of his own hits. Ronnie Lane and Three Dog Night's Chuck Negron took the mike as well and, just for good measure, there was also a full horn section and a clutch of backing female singers. Bar Berry, the entire group stayed on the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater stage for the entire show. And what a show it was. To call it a jam is an insult, because no matter the bloated size of this band, it was a surprisingly tight unit, probably because every one of the musicians knew Diddley's repertoire inside out, yet could still wring out a new variation on these classic tunes at will. Which explains the two different but equally inspired takes on "I'm a Man." The steamrolling "Who Do You Love," a fiery "Gunslinger," an exultant "Hey Bo Diddley," and the jubilant "Rock'n'Roll Music" are just some of the high points of a show that was a rocking spectacular from the opening riff. ~ Dave Thompson